Talksport pundit believes Hatters chief should choose his words more carefully

Talksport pundit Danny Murphy believes Luton manager Graeme Jones should 'think a bit harder' after his post match interview with the radio station following Sunday's 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Hatters boss Graeme Jones applauds the Town fans at Nottingham on SundayHatters boss Graeme Jones applauds the Town fans at Nottingham on Sunday
Hatters boss Graeme Jones applauds the Town fans at Nottingham on Sunday

Speaking to presenter Jim White at the City Ground, Jones stated that the visitors, who led 1-0 thanks to Harry Cornick's goal, might have gone on to record a first away win since late September had they had their best players available to them.

He said: "I love the challenge and it is a challenge, it's possibly one of the toughest jobs in the four divisions.

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"Before we lost Dan Potts, Izzy Brown and Martin Cranie seven weeks ago we were really competitive in the Championship and it's taken its toll on Luton Town.

"If we get them fit, even without any signings, I think we'll be competitive.

"I honestly believe we can (stay up). Today I think you saw a group of players that gave everything, tactically there was no questions in the game, it's not like we were out-thought.

"I think once or twice, if we'd have had our best players on the pitch, maybe we'd have made that 2-0, maybe we'd have made the day a little bit easier.

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"But remember this is Nottingham Forest, there's 27,000 people here, these are Champions League winners, twice.

"But I like the mentality of the boys who came here today, thinking 'I'm not bothered about that, we can win the game.'"

Muprhy, who played for Liverpool, Fulham and Charlton amongst others during his career, was worried what the players who had taken to the field would think by Jones' statement.

He said: "They've got three home games out of the next four, so that's crucial, they need a couple of wins there and that could give them the lift they need.

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"He has got a difficult job, and he's an experienced guy, not experienced as a number one, but I think sometimes when you do interviews as a manager, you have to think a bit harder about what you say.

"So he was quite positive in many respects,but he did say 'to win football matches, we need to get our best players back on the pitch.'

"Now what I'm hearing there if I'm the lad's who are playing right now is, 'come on gaffer.'

"I learned from some very, very articulate people, people like Gerard Houllier and Roy Hodgson, they don't speak without thoughts of what the consequences of those words can mean to some of the players.

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"If you're getting a negative vibe from Roy or Houllier when he's doing the press or doing the radio or when he's doing TV, it's deliberate, so just be careful.

"He brought himself back to positivity about the fact that they did go into the game at Forest believing early in the game they could do things, which was the right thing to do.

"Sometimes you talk and you realise what you've said and he's a bright guy, he's just got to be careful.

"But I'd love them to stay up because he's got a limited budget, I think he's got the smallest budget in the division.

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"I feel for him there as you are fighting against the odds in the Championship if you've got a small budget.

"I hope he does it as he's a great coach and a good guy and I like Luton as a club, they've come a long, long way."